Intake Weekend 2012
This year’s intake weekend for Avon & Somerset Search and Rescue took place at Goblin Combe Environment Centre over the first weekend of March. Potential new trainees were assessed over the weekend for their teamwork skills and their ability to cope under pressure.
The individuals looking to join are taken through a series of tasks, training, a night navigation course and a simulated search and rescue exercise. A&SSAR team members shadow them through out all of these. At this early stage they aren’t being assessed on individual technical skills.
If accepted the trainees will spend 6 months learning their core competencies before they can become an ‘aspirant’. When they gain Aspirant status they are allowed on certain call-outs where they are closely monitored by experienced team members. It can be another 6-12 months before the team feels they can be accepted as full members.
Next years intake weekend will be held in March again. If anyone would like to consider attending the weekend please get in contact via the Join page for more details.
Posted on 15 / 03 / 2012
Multi-agency Cave Rescue Led by A&S SAR Member
The following letter is from a Scout Leader rescued from a cave by an A&S SAR member, last February, operating in his role as a Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) co-responder at the time. The rescue involved a local caver, GWAS HART (Hazardous Area Response Teams) and a GWAS paramedic. This shows how volunteers regularly operate alongside full-time emergency service colleagues to help the public.
Dear Mark and the Rescue team,
I’d just like to make my gratitude known to the rescue team. I was rescued on February 12th in Sidcot Swallet (I think) while caving with my Scout group and the very experienced and exceptionally trained members of the West Sussex County Caving Team. I suffered a nasty knee dislocation whilst pushing through a squeeze. I wedged myself in the squeeze and stayed there with my knee still dislocated for about an hour. A very helpful cave leader from an unrelated group to my group helped me through the squeeze after my knee naturally relocated after I’d relaxed. Although i was in the cave for many hours i would like to thank the rescue teams that came to my aid.
Without them the situation could have been a lot worse, luckily I didn’t dislocate my knee in the lobster pot because that would have been almost impossible.
Thank you for your swift, effective and amazing rescue (and for giving me an interesting story to tell). I am very grateful and intend to make caving one of my more regular hobbies.
My knee is recovering very well and physiotherapy will ensure that it won’t happen again.
When my knee is fully functional i am organising a fund raising event, a 50km hike over the South Downs. All of the money raised will be donated to the rescue teams, as a ‘thank you’ for helping me when i was in a very bad state.
Once again, thank you for the rescue and the help and support that was given in the cave from the point of cave rescue making contact with me, to me being put in an ambulance and being taken to hospital.
Your’s gratefully,
Alastair Barnes,Young Scout Leader 1st/9th Horsham Scout Group
Posted on 03 / 01 / 2012
RAF Sea King Training
Over the Christmas holiday an RAF Search and Rescue Sea King helped members of A&S SAR with their familiarisation training for involving helicopters in rescues. SR169 from 22 Squadron flew to the Mendip Hills to help train team members, then A&S SAR provided two ‘climbers’ for the crew to practice winching in Cheddar Gorge.
The familiarisation training involved A&S SAR members understanding how to safely enter and exit the aircraft, being winched, what to do inside and what to do in the event of an emergency. Most importantly team members experienced the sensation of the Sea King coming in to land next to you, this helps forewarn and protect any casualty from the noise and wind.
A&S SAR thanks the crew of SR169 for the training and experience.
Posted on 02 / 01 / 2012
Working Together
This image shows the planning stage during the recent call-out, Log No 1024, at Huntspill, Bridgwater. Police helicopter and dog teams along with the Burnham hovercraft, Coastguard and RNLI all worked together to try and successfully resolve the situation.
C. Burnham-On-Sea.com
Our thanks to Bunrnham-On-Sea.com for allowing us to use this image. To read their full write up click here
Posted on 04 / 11 / 2011
Working with Search & Rescue Helicopters
A new document has been published by the RAF to help consolidate and provide additional information on Working with Search and Rescue Helicopters. This Pdf is available to download free of charge. This has been put
together as an additional resource for all in the emergency services.
Although it primarily focuses on working with RAF Search and Rescue helicopters most of the information is generic and as such applies to other agencies operating helicopters in the SAR role.
Posted on 04 / 11 / 2011